Pureblood
by CheeseTheThimbleSneeze
Summary: AU WBWL snapshot. In which Rose Potter is to be married and Hermione learns something new about wizarding customs. Fem!Harry Hermione-Bashing


Pureblood

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AU WBWL one-shot. In which Rose Potter is to be married and Hermione learns something new about wizarding customs. Fem!Harry

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

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"Did you hear about the brand new broom coming out? Quidditch digest said that it's supposed to be even faster than the Firebolt, and cheaper, too. Wonder if Mum would let me get one..." said Ron Weasley to his best friend, Henry Potter.

Henry, Ron, and their other best friend, Hermione Granger, were all lounging around the game room of Potter Manor. Ron and Henry, per usual, were chatting about their favorite sport, Quidditch. Hermione had her nose buried in a thick book about only she knew what.

"Yeah, I did hear about that one. The professional teams haven't yet stated whether they're going to replace the old Firebolts with them, though, because they're still supposed to be experimental -" He was cut off by a loud crack as a creature with large, floppy ears, bulbous eyes, and crinkly brown skin popped into the room wearing a white pillowcase.

At the sight of the creature, known as a house elf, Hermione's face seemed to go three shades redder. The elf didn't see her, though, and said in its squeaky voice to Henry, "Master James and Mistress Lily be wishing Zornie to be tellin' Young Master Henry that Lady Longbottom and Young Master Longbottom be coming from the fireplace on business and for Young Master Henry be pleasin' to be stayin' outs of the lounge."

Henry nodded lazily at Zornie from his position upside down on the plush couch. "Thanks, you can go now, Zornie."

Zornie nodded happily and said, "Zornie be goin' now, Young Master Henry!" before popping out.

Hermione immediately turned on Henry, screeching, "I can't believe that you keep house elves! It's slave labor! It's barbaric and wrong and –" Henry cut her off, shouting,

"I've told you before, Hermione; they like it here! I'm not going to get into another argument with you over this!"

Hermione sat back, scowling angrily. Ron, with wide eyes and hoping to defuse the tension, said, "Well, what do you think your parents are talking about with Neville and his grandmother?"

Henry sat back, still not happy, but said, "Dunno, I can't think of a reason why they wouldn't tell me about it..."

Ron smirked, and said, "Well, let's put the cloak on and go find out!"

Henry grinned, argument forgotten, and agreed. Hermione still didn't look happy, but agreed, too.

Henry said, "The cloak's in my room, though, so we'll have to be quiet when we go up there, 'cause the stairs are right by the lounge."

They all got up and slipped out of the room and through the tiled hallways of the manor. When they got to the bottom of the staircase, they could hear Neville's voice, but not his words. Becoming more curious by the minute, they shot up the staircase and down the hall.

Henry's room was in the northeast wing of the manor, so to get to it, they had to go through the east wing, inhabited only by Henry's twin sister, Rose, and the library. When they passed the library, Hermione paused automatically and glanced inside.

Just as Ron turned to beckon her forward, there was the sound of talking from Rose's room. They glanced at each other and crept forward so they could hear.

"I don't want to do this," Rose said.

"Zornie knows, but Missy Rosie must," said the little house elf.

"Oh, Zornie, Neville is my best friend!" exclaimed Rose.

"Zornie knows, and is sad, too, but Missy Rosie must not move her arms, or Missy Rosie will rip the dress!"

There was the sound of rustling, and of Rose apologizing, "Sorry, Zornie."

There was more rustling, and then Zornie finally said, "Missy Rosie is ready now, and Zornie must go make tea. Zornie wishes Missy Rosie goodbye now!"

"Goodbye, Zornie," Rose said, and a crack signaled Zornie's leave. Then the three heard more rustling, and the click of a door latch. They quickly slunk back into an alcove and watched as Rose left her room, wearing a beautiful dress.

It was the sort of dress that pageant superstars would wear - a stiff, red, corset top, tied in the back with golden strings, with golden trimmings at the top and waist, and little golden designs, a bit like vines, from the waist up, too. The dress had a full skirt, silk, pinned to fall in waves all the way down and with golden trimming at the bottom. Hermione was immensely jealous, though she would never admit it. She wondered why someone like Rose - unpopular and unlikable - would get to wear such a thing when she, Hermione, would probably never even have the chance.

As Hermione glared in envy at her, Rose stopped in front of an intricate mirror in the hallway. She touched the heavy gold necklace inlaid with rubies that sat around her neck, then reached up and carefully placed a golden circlet on her head.

Rose's hair was done up, too, Hermione now realized. The sleek and shining raven bangs (so much unlike Hermione's frizzy mess) had been swept out over face and pinned behind her head with an elaborate hair clip, and the rest of her locks swept down her back in a long, ebony wave, ending just past her mid-back.

She looks absolutely gorgeous, Hermione thought resentfully. She clenched her fists as Rose slipped a red silk shawl over her shoulders and started down the hallway again, high heels clacking.

Ron touched Hermione's shoulder, and Hermione whipped around, and then followed her friends.

They grabbed the invisibility cloak from Henry's room and rushed back to the main staircase, not wanting to miss anymore than they already had. They threw it over themselves, crouched down so that their ankles didn't show, and sneaked down the stairs.

Henry, in the lead, beckoned them towards the door of the lounge.

Inside the room, Rose was standing by the door with an unreadable expression on her face, with Neville by her side. James and Lily were sitting on a couch opposite Lady Augusta Longbottom, and a scroll of parchment and a quill sat on the table.

James was saying, "We agreed this would be the best match for the both of you."

"Of course, Lord Potter," Neville answered formally.

Lily Potter nodded at the both of them, and said, "I'm glad you understand."

Rose nodded in return and Neville squeezed her hand.

Then James said, "Why don't you two go wait across the hall while we discuss the bride price. Rose will show you where."

Rose murmured, barely audible, "Yes, Father," and gave Neville's hand a tug, leading him out of the room.

Hermione looked at Henry and Ron. Ron looked grim, but Henry jerked his head after Rose and Neville. Hermione nodded, and the three followed them.

When they walked into the room across the hall – a smaller sitting room, probably used by guests – they found Rose standing in the middle of the room with Neville, arms around his neck and face buried in his shoulder. Neville had his arms around her waist and held her tight as her body shook with sobs.

"Wha-what are we going to do, Nev?" Rose hiccoughed. Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.

"Shhh," Neville soothed, stroking her hair. "We'll make this work, okay? No crying."

Rose hiccupped one last time and looked up; Neville wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

Hermione realized too late that they were intruding on a very private moment, and gave both of the boys' arms a tug, gesturing towards the door.

When they were out of sight, they threw off the cloak and sprinted for the game room.

"What – on – earth – was – that?" Hermione gasped when they were alone.

Henry plopped down on a couch. "My dad has arranged a marriage for my sister."

Hermione gasped. "An arranged marriage? Why would he do that?"

It was Ron who answered. "Why wouldn't he? Rose is a pretty girl, pureblood, and comes from and Ancient and Noble House. The bride price would..."

"Bride price!" Hermione exclaimed, outraged. "That's barbaric!"

Henry said, "Well, that's how it's done. Rose is the only unmarried girl in the Potter clan – well, for now; my cousin Addison should be having a baby in a few months – it makes sense to marry her off to Neville, heir of the Longbottoms."

"How can you just do nothing about it? They're taking away her free will!" Hermione seemed to have forgotten how jealous she was of Rose earlier.

"Rose has known that she would probably get married off when she came of age for a long time," Henry said. "She's just lucky it's Neville. My great-grandfather married my great aunt off to some Russian Lord fifty years older than her when my grandfather was a kid."

That did nothing to placate Hermione, who looked just about ready to explode. Ron quickly explained, "Marrying a girl off to another family in an arranged marriage is a custom in the old families. It's a way to pay dues, make connections, or strengthen ties. We may not like it, but there's nothing we can do."

"What, so you're going to just sit back and watch if Ginny gets married off to Malfoy, or something?" Hermione yelled.

Ron's temper ignited. "Of course I wouldn't! But that would never happen because the Malfoys and the Weasleys don't run in the same circles! The Malfoys run in the Dark pureblood circle, the Weasleys run in the Light! Besides, Grandfather Septimus would never be stupid enough to marry Ginny to Malfoy anyway!"

Hermione sat down with a huff, fuming. She opened her mouth to say something, closed it, and reached violently for her book.

"Whether or not you like it, Hermione," Henry said, "arranged marriages _do_ happen, and Rose _is_ marrying Neville."

Hermione closed her book with a snap and stalked out of the room.

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A/N: I hope you like it. I wrote this because the scene where Neville was comforting Rose just popped into my head one day, and wouldn't go away. And then I was watching Toddlers and Tiaras and I got the idea for the dress, and this story was born. Tada! So, sorry for all you Hermione lovers, but I just don't like her. I hope I didn't make her really OOC in this... Anyways, I may eventually do a multi-chap fic off this, but not right now. Right now I have to get back writing my other multi-chap fics. I hope you enjoyed this!

And please, review!


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